Stavanger School of Mission and Theology
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STAVANGER SCHOOL OF MISSION AND THEOLOGY WORKING WITNESS COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS ON MISSION IN WORD AND DEED IN NEPAL IN THE NORWEGIAN MISSION HIMALPARTNER'S MAGAZINE TIBETANEREN BY KATHERINE MCNAUGHTON PARENT THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER IN GLOBAL STUDIES (30-MATH) STAVANGER MAY 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 3 1.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 3 1.2 Research Question and Structure of the Thesis....................................................................... 3 1.2.1 Subject: The Norwegian mission organization HimalPartner..................................................4 1.2.2 Source: Tibetaneren Magazine..............................................................................................................6 1.2.3 Audience: Who reads Tibetaneren? ....................................................................................................7 1.2.4 Authors: Who writes for Tibetaneren? ..............................................................................................8 1.3 Methods.................................................................................................................................................. 9 1.3.1 Mission Theology ........................................................................................................................................9 1.3.2 Text Analysis.............................................................................................................................................. 11 1.3.3 Why text analysis?................................................................................................................................... 12 1.3.4 Community theology .............................................................................................................................. 13 1.3.5 Researcher role and potential biases............................................................................................... 14 1.4 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................16 2. Word and deed in Mission: International Perspectives..............................................17 2.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................17 2.2 Where does the question of word and deed in mission come from? .............................17 2.3 The Discussion in a Global Context: Word and Deed in the Lausanne Movement....19 2.4 Theoretical Categories from Grand Rapids.............................................................................22 2.5 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................25 3. HimalPartner's Specific Context: Norway and Nepal...................................................25 3.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................25 3.2 HimalPartner's Official Theology and Internal Diversity ..................................................26 3.3 Roots of Norwegian Mission Theology......................................................................................28 3.3.1 Church of Norway.................................................................................................................................... 29 3.3.2 Hans Nielsen Hauge ................................................................................................................................ 29 3.3.3 Diakonia....................................................................................................................................................... 31 3.3.4 Solidarity and the Tradition of “Bistand”....................................................................................... 32 3.3.5 Liberation Theology................................................................................................................................ 34 3.3.6 Norwegian Missions Today.................................................................................................................. 34 3.4 Nepal Context .....................................................................................................................................35 3.4.1 Challenges in Nepal History Research............................................................................................. 35 3.4.2 Introduction to Nepal............................................................................................................................. 37 3.4.3. Church Growth and Christian Mission in Nepal......................................................................... 39 3.4.4. Recent Challenges for Christians and Missions in Nepal........................................................ 42 3.5 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................................... 44 4. Tibetaneren Research .............................................................................................................46 4.1 Introduction to Research: Theology of Word and Deed in Mission in Tibetaneren..46 4.2 Mission in word and deed as HimalPartner's Godgiven calling.....................................46 4.2.1 Inseparability of word and deed........................................................................................................ 47 4.2.2 Subtle division between word and deed........................................................................................ 48 4.2.3 "Working mission" .................................................................................................................................. 49 4.2.4 Natural witness......................................................................................................................................... 52 4.2.5 Holistic mission and a longing for wholeness.............................................................................. 53 4.3 Mission in word/deed as a response to suffering.................................................................54 4.3.1 Discipleship ................................................................................................................................................ 54 1 4.3.2 Deeds as expressions of compassion and love ............................................................................ 56 4.3.3 Mission as an expression of solidarity ............................................................................................ 57 4.4 Mission and human limitations...................................................................................................58 4.4.1 Mission and human inadequacy ........................................................................................................ 58 4.4.2 Mission in word under Nepal's evangelism ban ......................................................................... 59 4.4.3 Division of labor with the Nepali church........................................................................................ 62 4.5 Reflections on the role of humans and God in mission.......................................................63 4.5.1 Mission in word and deed as a means of transforming injustice with the Gospel........ 63 4.5.2 An Instrument of the Lord‐‐Tibetaneren reflections on Missio Dei.................................... 65 4.5 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................66 5. Analysis ........................................................................................................................................68 5.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................68 5.2 Tibetaneren Community Theology .............................................................................................68 5.3 Contrasting Contexts of HimalPartner and Lausanne.........................................................69 5.3.1 Call‐driven inseparability of word and deed................................................................................ 70 5.3.2 Holistic understandings of "working mission"............................................................................ 71 5.3.3 Understandings of word and deed as separate partners ........................................................ 72 5.3.4 Mission as a Response to Suffering................................................................................................... 73 5.3.5 Eschatology and Mission as work for the Kingdom of God .................................................... 76 5.3.6 Relationship between evangelism and church growth in context....................................... 78 5.3.7 Division of Labor with Nepali church?............................................................................................ 79 5.3.8 Missio Dei...................................................................................................................................................